This invention relates to a toner composition for developing an electrostatic latent image on a sheet. The present invention is also directed to use of the above toner image-bearing sheet for forming a sintered, mono-colored or full colored pattern on a solid surface such as a tile or a glazed porcelain.
Hitherto, a screen printing method has been utilized for the formation of similar patterns on a plurality of tiles or the like porcelain articles. JP-A-H8-119668 proposes a method in which electrophotography is utilized in place of the screen printing and discloses a toner containing a binder and a pigment for ceramic art. The toner is used for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a transfer sheet. The toner image-bearing transfer sheet is then applied onto a surface of a ceramic body and heated to fix the pattern on the surface. JP-A-H8-119668 suggests to use the pigment in the form of a mixture with a vitreous such as boro-silicated glass. Such a mixture is produced by blending one or more metal oxide pigments with a vitreous, the blend being subsequently fused at 900.degree. C. and, thereafter, cooled and ground.
The toner proposed in JP-A-H8-119668, however, has a problem because a pattern having a high image density is not obtainable and because the color of the image is not uniform.